Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-30

NhAI EN- -ANs
Raymond returned to Meridon farm. H
| mother did not need to question him; she hs
noticed tho traces of sorrow and trouble {
a his mobile face on his departure; she saw jo
! and hope when he returned.
, Something pleasant has happened, IN
sonln
, He smiled, but only said:
u can tell you nothing, mother-yet'--
aWeIp
II am happy and wish you to share m
joy"
sand her refusal"
"Was not on her own account There wa
an'obstacle between us.
allow many mysteriesl and the obstacle
has ceased TO exist"
"No."
"And your marriagep
"Soon, / hope. 1t depends on certaii1
things, which l nm not at liberty to tell, but
l hope soon."
"Pray God you have your wish, my deaf
boy. ask no more to render my own hap
pineSs complete" said this mother, who was
SO blind Afterwards they both remembered
this wish Her face cleared and she grew
| quite cheerful in the knowledge that her
| favorito son was 10 be happy. Not one COM
| miserating thought did she bestow upon her
elder son, whose heart lay like lead in his
BOSOM and who had no idea that Raymond
was his successful rival.
From the day he saw Suzanne last Ray
mond had but one desire and one preoccupa-
tion, and that was to discover the mystery in
the affair concerning her father.
At Paris, at police headquarters, he found
no difficulty in getting all the facts he de-
sired. The Laroque affair was not forgot
ten, and with the exception OF Henriette and
Lucicn all those who had been especially in
terested in it were still alive, and he thought
he could easily find them.
The days passed in minute reconstruction
and copy OF all the testimony, and, though
he could not see his way clear to prove it, he
saw clearly how justice had followed up
Roger Laroquc upon q preconceived theory
of his guilt given by NJ. Lecroix, and thus
they had never made any movement toward
the discovery Of the real criminal He studied
tho testimony Of Suzanne and her mother, of
Roger and Victoria, and noticed that not one
Of them varied. Ho did not wonder that an
innocent man was tried and condemned on
such evidence; indeed, he wondered more
how he was not sentenced to death
One mystery appeared in all Rogers an
swers. Had Lucien penetrated iti Perhaps
he had. Was it not possible that among the
papers relating to this affair might be found
some mention of itl AT any rate be could
look. In largo closet at Meridon farm there
was an immense quantity Of paper, books and
briefs, which had belonged to his father, and
he was quite certain that he should find them
undisturbed, with the accumulated dust of
all these years upon them.
This would have been q painful task, to
open and search all these traces OF his bril-
liant fathers ambitious talent, under other
circumstances. Now it seemed pious labor,
and as ho worked among them be thought
with regret of that honorable, loyal life SO
nobly spent and lost
Until evening ho worked without finding
anything; then he at last came upon the
notes which bore upon tho assassination of
La:ouette. Little by little he found the pa
pers which madc up the file, and finally he
fund the notes and most of the final speech
which Lucien had given. Ho read it with n
heart beating high with conflicting emotions
and with tears standing in his eyes. The
eloquent passages fairly spoke even now, with
the dust of age upon them. AT nearly every
page Raymond found few words as mar
ginal notes, such rs; "What is this mystery
Of the money!" "What internal part has this
woman played in Rogers life, that he will
not confessP a see a woman's hand in this
and "Who is this woman9"
any father was not deceived said Ray
nond. There was a woman, but who is
Iheln
At last the desl, in the closet was empty,
and there remained but few papers. This
desk had belonged TO Julia, but in removal to
the farm it had been placed in here and all
tho other papers with and upon it. As there
werc still apparently two or three leaves of
the brief missing, Raymond took hold of
some papers and they seemed caught. With
his penknife be tried to loosen them and in so
doing be touched spring somewhere, and a
narrow secret drawer Jew open and in 1t
was photograph of handsome, noble look
ing man.
The photograph was clean and in every
other way in good condition, except that
where the heart of the man would be was a
'ut clear through the paper, as though done
With some sharp instrument Idly turning 1t
n his hand, Raymond saw written on the |
,ack, in his mothers delicate but peculiar
the following dates:
"The 2Sth of July 1872, at II 80 p. m.
"The 30th of July, 1872.
"The 18th of August, 1ST2.n
What was thisl Why these three dates be-
ind the picture of this unknown in his
nother's writing, and besides, who was this
nani He felt that he had seen him some
There.
Finally, prey to vague uneasiness, Ray
nond placed the photograph in lis pocket
nd went out Of the house. He walked, he
an, he threw himself on tho ground, but
wherever he went he was haunted by that
ace in the picture, and also these dates in
is mothers writing He looked again and
With groan of agony hid the face, then
gain he looked, this time as one faces a
Drlorn hope, and doubt was no longer pos
ble; this was, without even one sole little
disability of doubt, Roger Laroque as he was
efore this awful accusation fell upon him.
o be sure, the hrir and beard were dark, the
ace was young and caro- free, and that awful
scar hid not destroyed the SYM
retry Of the left side of his face; but the
1me great dark eyes, high forehead and gem
raj cast Of features were there. William For.
ey Of today and Roger Laroque of old were
nc. Then why these three dates in his
lother's wTitingl She must have known
setaStuN NNAif bub why lIuAl hut utNtT ultu-
loned bis namol All the afternoon and until
lte he remained in the woods, entering at
light somber and silent
,..What is the matter with you, my boyl
re you illfn
"No, only my head aches little from
imbliug over those dusty papers,
As scGn as dinner was over, when he ate
ext to nothing, he went at once to his room.
nd then he again examined the photograph,
nd tho more he studied it the more certain
D grew. Doubt was impossible. A sus-
cion came into his mind which gave him a
ortal chill He knew that there was a wo-
AN mixed mysteriously up in that crime; he
arched for traces Of her, and the first ono
Q found led him straight to his own motheri
This thought kept him awake almost the
hole night, and the first light of the morn
lg found him up and ready TO take the train
u Paris, where he had business 10 transact 7
uring tue day. Before leaving he was alone /
few N lnutes with his mother, who said: =
"Do you feel better today, my soni Are !
on quito welP
eyes; ] slept well all night" i
II thought heard you up very early.n '
II have for long time wanted TO put my
lther's papers in order; You know how they y
ere thrown into the closet and your desk. I
hat Tomindg mo | founl n ,,bn,orronh